That Cinderella Tag

EVIL STEPSISTERS: A BOOK/ BOOKS WITH CHARACTERS THAT YOU JUST HATE

This part was hard because I've read so many books featuring characters that were extremely detestable.  But after a lot of mental battles, these two finally won.  The main character in Elisa Freilich's Silent Echo, Portia Griffin, is annoying as fuck. She's portrayed as this very powerful and talented siren who manages to outwit the powerful Olympian gods (imagine that?!) and whose lyric-writing skills are puke-inducing

The second stepsister would be Christie Hsiao's Journey To Rainbow Island which is probably one of the ickiest children's books I've read in my entire reading career. I hate the main character with a fire of a thousand suns and it was lucky that I got ahold of the e-book format, otherwise, I would have burned it to ashes. I never thought that a children book could invoke such extreme emotion from me but it certainly did.   

PRINCE CHARMING: A BOOK WITH A GENTLEMAN

There are so many choices for this one but let's go with Marissa Meyer's Cinder which, in my opinion, is one of the best Cinderella retellings to this day.  Kaito, the male lead of the story, is a true gentleman and solidifies that a prince charming does not need to be mysterious, silent, arrogant, angsty, and rough in order to be swoony.

CINDERELLA: A CHARACTER THAT IS GRACEFUL, KIND, AND DEFIANT

My choice for this one would be Samantha Reed of My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzapatrick. Despite an almost-elitist upbringing, Samantha Reed grew up to be compassionate and wanting to have a normal and peaceful life.  She's a very obedient girl and most of the time, wants to please her mother.  But when the situation needed it (when her mother was acting a bitch), Sam put her foot down and defied her mother.

FAIRY GODMOTHER: A CHARACTER THAT ALWAYS HAS SOMEONE LOOKING OUT FOR THEM

The book that immediately came to mind after reading the word "Godmother" was I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore.  At the start of the story, it has always baffled John Smith/Four, the story's protag, that animals usually show up to befriend him even if he and his guardian constantly changed their locations.  He later discovered that those animals are actually one animal--a Chimaera named Bernie Kosar-- that has the ability to shapeshift.  Bernie Kosar has always looked out for John since the latter was a child.

HELPFUL CREATURES: SOMETHING THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY WHEN YOU'RE SAD

My three dogs and my cat.  And although it's inappropriate, I should also say that the Harry Potter books always make me happy.

ASHES: A BOOK YOU DIDN'T CARE FOR

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.  I really tried my best to finish it but alas, my patience has its limits.

PUMPKIN: A CHARACTER WITH A TRANSFORMATION

I have so many answers to this one but I think the greatest example would be Darrow Au Andromedus of Pierce Brown's Red Rising Trilogy.  Darrow did not only transform physically but emotionally and psychologically as well as he was embedded into the Gold society.

IMPOSSIBLE: A BOOK WITH AN ENDING THAT YOU DIDN'T SEE COMING

Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson.  I didn't expect that that thing will happen but WTF, Sanderson, you really went that way?! I hate you. T_T

JUST BREATHE: SOMETHING THAT INSPIRES YOU TO BE COURAGEOUS

Harry Potter, of course. Need I say anything more?

HAPPILY EVER AFTER: A BOOK WITH A PERFECT ENDING

I would have said JK Rowling's Harry Potter or Rick Riordan's The Percy Jackson series but then, Melina Marchetta's The Lumatere Chronicles immediately crossed my mind so it's my answer for this one.  The Lumatere Chronicles is one of the most beautifully written stories in the entire world.  It's lyrical, heartfelt, and the plot twists are definitely mind blowing.

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Top Ten Tuesday 2. Books That Celebrate Diversity/Diverse Characters

Hosted by The Broke and Bookish

OMG! I really love this week's Top Ten Tuesday topic. Diversity in books have always been a well-debated subject in the publishing industry because admit it or not, most of the books that are sold in the international market usually feature Caucasian characters. While there's nothing bad about that, it gets tiring after reading more than a hundred books featuring characters of the same race. And to be honest, it makes me ask myself whether other races are not good enough to be included in these books. Of course, diversity is not just about race but it's also about disabilities, gender preferences, religion, etc. If we're not reading about Caucasian characters, we're also reading about individuals that are perfect and are positively stereotyped.  Fortunately, the reading community these days have become more aware and sensitive about what the world is all about.  And that they're voicing out that stories in written form should not just be about be about the overly perfect blond and blue-eyed girl romancing a muscular Caucasian boy. With this said, there's no way I'm going to let this week's Top Ten Tuesday pass without me participating in it.

I am quite fearful, however, that I may not be able to give this week's TTT topic justice with the list that I have come up with because I haven't read nearly enough diverse books in my reading career. Blame the picky side of my personality.  It just so happened that most of the books that I chose to read (if the premise does not appeal to me then I'm not going to consider reading the book) are not diverse enough.  But anyway, please be assured I have tried my very best to keep the list below as interesting as possible. 

    

1. Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling- I know, I'm already boring you with all these constant Harry Potter promotions but bear with me, okay?  The three protagonists might be all Caucasians but the supporting cast are wonderfully diverse. Harry Potter is actually the series that opened my eyes that diversity is not only important when we're talking about wildlife,  but it's also important when we're reading books.  It's the series that made me ask myself as to why the other books don't feature other races and people with different gender preferences in their stories?

2. The Cuckoo's Calling by J.K. Rowling- I can't make this obvious enough but I'm a big Rowling fan, alright? Lula Landry, one of the major characters of this book, is a person of color. 'Nuff said.

3. Eon Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman-  Though I maybe late in the party, I am still so glad that I was able to pick up Eon Dragoneye Reborn.  The whole world is heavily infused with Chinese and Japanese Mythology that I was completely blown away as soon as I was halfway through the book.  I should also mention that aside from the rich mythology that Alison Goodman was able to spin, the protagonist is a cripple who, instead of spending her days moping and cursing the world for being unfair, chose to change her life for the better.

4. The Heroes of Olympus Series by Rick Riordan-  This is another series that I totally love due to a lot of reasons.  First is that, Greek mythology has always been a fascinating subject.  And second is that, Rick Riordan is such a funny storyteller that navigating Greek mythology was conveniently easy.  And lastly, there's an LGBT character here and two of the protagonists are persons of color.

5. The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler-  OMG! The Summer of Chasing Mermaids is one of the most heartfelt contemporary stories I've read.   You can totally judge it  by that beautiful cover.  I also have to add that it's inspired from The Little Mermaid which, FYI, is my all-time favorite Disney story.  So you can imagine my delight when I was reading the whole story.  The female protagonist is not only a person of color but is also mute.  But even with her disability, her voice was really distinct and by the end of the story, I truly sympathized with her plight.

    

6. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden-  Is there a need to explain? 

7. The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer- Set in futuristic China, The Lunar Chronicles features a diverse cast of characters and is by far my favorite fairy tale retelling

8. A Song of Ice and Fire Series by George RR Martin- Okay, I am really running out of ideas here but I just checked whether dwarfism is considered a handicap and it is, according to ADA of the US and DDA of the UK.  So yeah, I'm going to have to include ASOIF here because of Tyrion Lannister. 

9. The Crane Wife by Patrick Ness-  The Crane Wife is my first Patrick Ness book and while it didn't make into my favorite books shelf, it certainly created an impression on me.  It has one of the most hauntingly beautiful prose I've read and the Japanese-folk tale it was inspired from was interesting. 

10. The Maze Runner by James Dashner- If you've seen the first movie, you know what I'm talking about. XD 

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Mustering My Courage

Haha. I didn't know what came over me but I finally got the courage to post my first ever Wattpad story.  I wrote Fire and Water Sonata when I was still in my early twenties and dystopia (thanks to the Hunger Games!) was still all the rage.

Fire and Water Sonata is about a rule-loving girl who grew up in a community called "Sanctuary" wherein the people's lives are dictated by the stars, specifically, their zodiac signs.  Their career options, their spouses, their children choices are basically driven by their astrological signs. I know it sounds crazy but I grew up with my mother telling me that I probably love the sea and has an obsession with mermaids and any sea creatures because I was born a Pisces.  You can bet that I believed such lunacy when I was still in my teens but as I grow older, I realized that I am the sailor of my life and zodiac signs are just there to guide us.   But still, I cannot deny that delving into the world of astrology is such a fun activity and whenever I got hold of a newspaper, I cannot stop myself from visiting the horoscope section first.

Reading about my daily and yearly horoscope is such a deeply ingrained habit that it just makes logical sense to write a story about it. I'm not sure, however, if Fire and Water Sonata is as much as fun as my experience with  learning and understanding the twelve zodiac signs.  So I'm going to leave it to you to do the judging.

If you are interested in reading Fire and Water Sonata, just click on the image above and it should direct you to the story.

Recommended Reading: Pushing The Limits By Katie McGarry

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Top Ten Tuesday 1. Hyped Books I've Never Read

Hosted by The Broke and Bookish

I don't know what really spurred me to join this bookish meme but I think it has something to do with missing the book blogger in me. Way back when I was still actively blogging about books, I've always find the time to participate in the said weekly meme as it's a good way to discover new blogs, meet other bloggers, and of course, I love doing the list! 

This week's topic is all about the hyped books I've never read and prolly, will never read in the future. XD

  

1. Fifty Shades Darker and Freed by E.L. James- No offense to fans but Fifty Shades is not just for me. I find the heroine so annoying and the hero downright creepy.  To be fair, I read Book 1 and gave it two stars but that's about to change soon. 

2. The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon- Pitched as the new Harry Potter, it's no wonder that The Bone Season attracted so many readers like bees to honey.  But as a die hard Harry Potter fan, I felt pretty scared in reading the book (what if it's a disappointment?!) even though I bought it months after its release. 

3. The Selection and all its sequels by Kiera Cass- That dress is really pretty but not enough to convince me to read the book.  I love stories about princesses but I just didn't feel the pull of The Selection.  It didn't help that Kiera Cass and her agent (?) sort of attacked a book blogger a year and half ago due to a harsh negative review.  And that incident really cemented my decision not to read The Selection and all of Kiera Cass' books.

  

4. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins- Had it not been for the negative reviews I've read about Anna and the French Kiss, I would have picked it up in a heartbeat.  The premise seemed cute and the cover just oozed with fluffiness. Apparently, the reviews really got the best of me so I stayed clear of it.

5. If I Stay by Gayle Forman- There are only two reasons why I never considered reading this book.  The premise seems manipulative and I was afraid that the story's going to be a fucking sobfest.  But don't take my word for it, almost every blogger that I know who have read it loved it to pieces. 

6. Paper Towns by John Green- Ok, I love John Green's The Fault In Our Stars and greatly enjoyed his Looking for Alaska but the thing is, the characters of the two books were almost the same.  For that reason alone, I felt skeptical in trying out Paper Towns.  My intuition was somewhat valid since I read some reviews that mirrored my sentiments about John Green's characters.

   

7. Halo by Alexandra Adornetto- Ever since Becca Fitzapatrick's Hush, Hush, I'm always wary when it comes to picking up angel books.  But I still buy one or two occasionally as long as the premise is interesting.  Halo, however, would never have the chance of residing in my bookshelves since the blurb only promised a cliched forbidden love story and well, the author is quite an unrepentant diva.

8. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl- Magic? Curses? I'm all for that but unfortunately, I don't think Beautiful Creatures will work for me.  It's not only the negative reviews that's stopping me from reading it but it's also giving me the Twilight vibes.  FYI, I enjoyed Twilight but books 2, 3, and 4 just made me think that I should have just stopped reading at book 1. 

9. Evermore by Alyson Noel- I really feel terrible every time I say that "I didn't pick up this book due to the negative reviews" because it seems that I don't have the courage to pick up books without heavily relying on reviews. But just think of it, there are millions of books in the world and life is too short.  I just don't want to spend my time reading books that I will potentially hate by the time I reach page 30, thus, I read reviews in order to filter out those that I probably won't like.  Unfortunately for Evermore, it fell into the "I-will-probably-hate" category. 

10. Eragon by Christopher Paolini- One of the things that would really make me excited about a fantasy book is dragons.  And Eragon has them! Too bad though, Eragon was released at a time when the sequels of Harry Potter were also being released.  And as a student who practically has to beg her mother for money to buy books, I have to prioritize in buying the one that I truly love.  And as the years went by, I totally forgot about Eragon and I don't think I'll read it now.

Do you also have a list of hyped books you haven't read yet? Want to share?

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Lyrics Writing: Super Crazy!

So I'm not really a person who's into music or poetry but with Dark Wave, the first book of the Darkbeat Quintet series, I have to pretend that I'm one or both.  I mean, it kinda defeats the purpose of writing about rock gods and there's not even a single song featured in the story.  Other uninformed people might say that I should have just borrowed some excerpts from famous songs but being sued for stealing of intellectual property is a risk that any writer (aspiring or not) should not take. Besides, I want my characters to have their own identity rather than have them labeled by readers as the book character version of "Beatles" or "Rolling Stone" or "Linkin' Park" or whatever band that they can associate with the lyrics of the song that I've chosen to include in the story.  If I'm going to feature the lyric excerpts of "In The End" in Dark Wave, then what are the chances of my readers immediately saying that the book is a retelling of  Linkin' Park's story or something like that?

Yes, I admit that the characters of Dark Wave or the whole Darkbeat series are inspired from different rockstars but I'm trying very hard to make them as their own person, if that even makes sense. If I'm going to ask you a question right now about what makes you fall in love with a musician, every one of you will have different answers.  But surely, some of you will respond that as long as the lyrics of the song resonate with you, then the singer immediately gets a permanent spot on your "Favorite Singers List." This goes to show that aside from a rockstar's looks, voice, the song's melody, and whatever, the lyrics of his/her songs are equally as important to set him/her apart from other rockstars.  And that's the reason why I'm busting my ass off creating lyrics for Dark Wave so my readers would feel that my rockstar characters really exist.

But writing the lyrics is not the end of my problem.  I'm also apprehensive that the lyrics that I've managed to write are not only incomprehensible but are also cheesy that my readers can't help but gag as they're reading the story. LOL. I'm apologizing in advance if that'll ever happen in the future. I've already tried my best to tone down my tendency to write melodramatic words so that counts for something, right?

So that's my update for today.  What about you? 

Recommended Reading: Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A Tucker

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In Which I Am Procrastinating

So I was really planning to at least finish around ten thousand words for Dark Wave last week but that didn't happen.  I wasn't exactly procrastinating but some things caused me to deviate from my original plan.  

As you can see, there are some changes on the blog.  One might say that those are very little changes to take up a lot of time but I'm such an amateur when it comes to coding so a huge portion of my "supposed-to-be-writing-hours" was spent googling the CSS codes for this and that, not to mention that my OCness got the better of me when it came to finding the perfect word meter (just look at the left footer).  So after finding the one that will suit my site best, I have to tweak it again to make sure that it would complement Stardust Lores' theme. 

Once satisfied with the appearance of my word meters, another stuff caught my attention; my bookshelves in Goodreads.  For information, I have two Goodreads accounts: a personal account and the Vita Julii one (the reason behind this is another story to tell for another post).  As I've said in my bio, reading is one of my hobbies so I use Goodreads a lot and since I'm one of the most disorganized person on the planet, you can just imagine the state of my bookshelves.  They're just so messy!  So to make the long story short, I organized all my books according to their genres and specified my all-time-favorites. 

With the two Goodreads accounts done, I thought that I was going to finally start updating Dark Wave but unfortunately, I saw a beautiful mermaid photomanipulation while browsing the internet and I don't know what happened but the picture just urged me to create a blog mock up design.  And thus, my whole Sunday was spent scouring Deviantart and various blog resources sites to look for images, patterns, and other pieces for my mock up.  From an aspiring writer's perspective, my Sunday was definitely a waste.  However, the blogger and aspiring designer in me assured that it wasn't since I'm going to use the said design for my future self-hosted blog/s.

So that's how I spent my weekend, how about you?  I promise I'm going to focus my full attention to Dark Wave until I hit the 24k words! 

Recommended reading: The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler

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Finally!

I’ve already lost count of the number of times that I’ve contemplated about starting a “my writing chronicles” blog but finally, here it is.  It really took me a while to think of an appropriate name for it since "http://www.vitajulii.blogspot.com" doesn’t really work for me. And what I really wanted from the start was something that would invoke feelings of curiosity, wonderment, and whimsy in my readers.  Afterall, I am aspiring to write novels that can give the said vibes and more so why not start with my blog’s name? Not really sure though if Stardust Lores accomplished that.  Nonetheless, I’m very happy with the name, I just wish that I was more creative when it came to the blog’s design and layout.  Oh well, my excuse for that would be that Blogger's customizing features are fairly limited (yes, I am blaming Blogger for my lack of web designing skills!) so please bear with the overly simplistic design.  I was really aiming for a whimsical and minimalistic look, I didn’t expect that the blog would turn up like a giant wall of grayness.  But anyway, I’m planning to self-host in the future once I’m 100 percent serious about this writing endeavor.  Of course, I’m serious about writing but it’s not in my top 5 list of priorities right now, if you know what I mean.

I just hope that this new journey in my life would prove to be meaningful and long lasting. Meaningful and long lasting not in the sense of becoming the next JK Rowling or something like that but it’s more of learning from the experience and having the opportunity to put my story out there. And of course, not losing the drive to continue growing as an individual through creative writing.

If you’re curious as to what kind of stories that I will be writing about, then, it’s either contemporary romance or romance loaded with fantasy (paranormal, mythology, gothic, etc.) elements.  Don’t ask me why because I couldn’t answer that as of this time.  All I know is that I’m gravitating towards writing those types of stories.  But I guess that it couldn’t be helped since romance or in a broader perspective, love, is a big part of our lives… like everything has no meaning without it.  I just wish that my way of writing can invoke that wonderful feeling in my readers.  That my stories can resonate with my readers’ experiences in love.  I think that part is the hardest challenge for an aspiring romance novelist. I’m really apprehensive that I may not be able to deliver. Heh.

So let’s see and wait. My first story would be entitled “Dark Wave” and it’s the first of five in the Darkbeat quintet series. It’s a New Adult gothic story inspired from the Little Mermaid.

Xoxo,

Vita Julii

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